How Often Does Google Maps Update Satellite Images?

There are times when you browse Google Maps, you would notice that the location details are not up-to-date. The reason behind this is because Google Maps uses the same data and satellite as what Google Earth does. Though the images are updated regularly, live changes sometimes lag up to few years. Though you will not be able to know when the maps will change, you will be able to find when the last update was through the help of Google Earth.

Google Maps Update Schedules

Usually satellite data of Google Maps is about a year to 3 years old. As for Google Earth, data updates happen once a month. The only problem they might not show it real-time images. Though Google Earth is able to gather data from different satellites, it could take a long time to process.

There are several times wherein Google Maps is able to update real-time and these are the times when they would mark a major event or would give assistance in emergency situations. Examples of these are during the London Olympic Games and the Nepal earthquake in April 2015. These real-time updates, unfortunately are very rare and uncommon.

Google Map Date Locations

Though in Google Maps, you will not be able to know when a map has been last updated, you will be able to get this data through Google Earth. All you need to do is search for the location and you will see at the bottom of the map, a date stamp showing when was the last update.

Get Google Map Updates

If you wish to know when Google Maps would update a specific location, you could set an alert on the tool, Follow Your World. By doing this, you will be able to receive emails every time Google updates a location. This tool is perfect for tracking any geographical changes to specific locations. To do this, all you need to do is:

1. Go to Home screen
2. Enter a location on the find a location box
3. Select Search location
4. Drag the map until you see the + sign on the spot you would wish to track
5. Click the Select Point button
6. If you wish to give it a different name, you could change this in the location Name box.
7. Check your email address and select submit.

You will know that the alert notification is set up, once you receive an email notification. Take note, however, Google Maps updates could take weeks or months or even years, but once they do, you will receive an email instantly.